The legislature's Education Committee will hear public testimony today concerning four school regionalization bills. 

One would align districts to the probate court districts.  Another requires towns with less than 40,000 residents to combine.  Only 24 of 169 municipalities in Connecticut have a population over the threshold.  A third bill has been submitted requiring any school district with a student population of fewer than 2,000 to join a new or an existing regional school district.  The last proposal is part of the Governor's budget plan, which would create a new state commission charged with developing a plan for redistricting or consolidating services and districts. His plan doesn't force any partnerships, but rather encourages and incentivizes municipalities to collaborate.

Bethel Superintendent of Schools Dr Christine Carver says if funding is being taken away, the plan in essence does force regionalization.  She says they need to keep kids at the forefront, and she's not sure this process accomplishes that goal.  Carver is also concerned with the structure and timeline of the Governor's committee.  She added that Western Connecticut superintendents have been meeting for nearly two years about how to consolidate services, and implemented a number of things that have saved money.  She says the mandates could undermine the good things they're already doing.

Opponents argues there could be less time in the classroom and more time on the bus, especially in rural areas where proposed districts would be very large geographically.  They're also concerned that this could lead to dramatic increases in busing expenses.

The Connecticut Council of Small Towns opposes forced consolidation noting that it would not result in significant cost savings and could result in a decrease in quality of education.

Bethel First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker met with Governor Ned Lamont at the state capitol yesterday.  He told Lamont that Bethel and others will fight school regionaliztion bills.